befuddled

American  

[bih-fuhd-ld] / bɪˈfʌd ld /

adjective

1. confused or muddled.

   They claim this is the prevailing economic theory, taught in the best schools, and that I am a hopelessly befuddled fool for questioning it.

2. puzzled or perplexed.

   People often ask us—usually with a befuddled look on their face—"Why on earth are you doing this?"

3. stupidly drunk.

   I don't think he's sobered up at all—in fact, he looks almost frighteningly befuddled and out of it.

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verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of befuddle.

Etymology

Origin of befuddled

First recorded in 1830–40; befuddle + -ed ² ( def. ) for the adjective senses; befuddle + -ed ¹ ( def. ) for the verb sense

Explanation

When you're befuddled, you're bewildered, confused, lost, or mixed-up. In other words, you don't know what's going on. A befuddled person is so confused that they just can't understand or figure something out. Or they've had way too much to drink. A difficult math problem could leave you befuddled. If your teacher showed up in a gorilla suit one day, you'd probably be pretty befuddled. Things that are vague and perplexing can also be described as befuddled, like a speech that makes no sense.

Example Sentences

Befuddled by North Carolina in an ugly first half, Kansas tightened up defensively and Martin provided the spark in a dazzling second half in the Jayhawks’ 72-69 win over North Carolina on Monday night.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 4, 2022

Befuddled, researchers are still debating exactly what they saw.

From Scientific American • Jul. 2, 2021

Befuddled mom-to-be Bridget Jones must figure out which of the two men in her life is the father of her child.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 25, 2019

Befuddled, she blurted, “I don’t even know how to process that.”

From Washington Post • Dec. 5, 2017

Along with the blood of Aegon the Unworthy, Maegor the Cruel, and Baelor the Befuddled.

From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin

Related Words

• baffled
• bewildered